I purchased my new Audii A4 2.Ot last month and have just turned 1,200 miles. I love everything about is car except for the turbo lag that occurs when applying the throttle from a dead stop. There is a one second delay that can be extremely disconcerting when attempting to make a left turn in heavy traffic. Once the turbo kicks in the car accelerates very quickly

I was told by the dealership that this is a common complaint and that I'd just have to get used to it. They said that the delay is due to the Tiptronic transmission. I've learned to drive around town in the sports mode which seems to help some. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

 

Im shopping around to buy an A4 2.0T.

The salesman tried to sell this lag to me as a feature... he said it was programmed into the system so that if you accidentally jumped on the gas while trying to get something out of your pocket the car wouldn't take off.
I'd have called bullshit, but it's really not worth it to correct a salesman.

He said the lag is greatly reduced in sport mode.

 

I've been reading up on turbo lag. Apparently it is common to turbo charged vehicles, especially German manufacturers. It does take some getting used to. Once the turbo kicks in, the A4 has tremendous power. Ive been told that European drivers place more importance on road handling rather than off the line acceleration.

I really do like this vehicle. The only improvement they need to consider is larger cup holders. There are two cup holders and only one is large enough to hold a standard cup. The other cup holder is too small to hold a normal drink.

As time goes by I think the car will grow on me like the Datsun 360Z I had 30 years ago.

 

Why does the cup holder size matter? You aren't supposed to have drinks of any kind in the vehicle.

 

When you work in Phoenix in 115 degree temperatures and are in and out of your car. it helps to carry a bottle of water or a cold drink to stay hydrated. Cup holders are very useful. There is no law against carrying non-alcoholic drinks in your vehicle.

 

I'm sure it's hot in Pheonix. It gets very hot in Chicago during summer time also. We peak around 110F at the hottest part.

I'm very **** about keeping things clean.

I drove a BMW 3-series for 6 years. No food, no drinks, nothing sticky was ever allowed in the car. I would bring in a soda, or a bottle of water, etc... but it's my car. I used to make my friends wash their hands at the bar if we had wings before I'd drive them home. Yes, I'm a **** but it was a nice car, and I actually got the "excellent" trade in price on it for how clean it is. 6 years later my car still had the new car smell to it.

 

Interesting. I'm having the same problem with my new Audi A4. There's a one second delay, then the car LEAPS through the intersection. It's darn dangerous, especially when making left-hand turns. It's too much power in the turn. At one pt. the right front tire hit a small pot hole and the steering wheel wobbled wildly, and now there's a small tear in the tire - which the dealership claimed was not a problem for the tire.

NOT good, imho. A friend of mine who drives a Porsche took my Audi out for a spin and he was surprised. In fact, everyone who has driven it has been surprised, and a little scared by it.

Any suggestions?. Any other A4 2009 owners NOT having this issue? Does the dealership need to replace the computer?

The car does seem to drive better in sport mode. I've driven BMW's mostly and have never encountered this type of behavior in a car.

 

Wow! We are considering buying a 2010 A4 2.0T very soon but have not had an opportunity to drive one yet...
Anyone know if this is occuring in the 2010 vehicles as well?

 

I've pretty much gotten used to the turbo lag. I've learned to slightly "feather" the accelerator when starting out from a dead stop and, when driving in the city, keeping it in the sports mode. Overall, I am enjoying my 2009 Audi A4 2.Ot, but I'd suggest that anyone buying one take it for a long test drive. Sooner or later Audi will need to address this issue.